Collapsible shipping-case.



W. R. BAILEY.

GOLLAPSIBLE SHIPPING GASB. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1911.

1,010,841, Patented Dec. 5, 1911.

WITNESSES; 4/, NI'/NTOR. v I W %EK COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH ccl. WASHINGTON. n. c.

WILLIAM R. BAILEY, OF KANSAS CITY, KANSAS.

COLLAPSIBLE SHIPPING-CASE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 5, 1911.

Application filed June 12, 1911. Serial No. 632,668.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. BAILEY, acitizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Wyandotte and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Shipping-Gases, of which the following is a specification. p

My invention relates to improvements in collapsible shipping cases.

It is particularly adapted for use as a case for containing eggs.

One object of my-invention is to provide a case which may be collapsed to form a small box which may safely contain collapsed fillers, when the case is to be returned after a shipment of eggs has been made.

Another object of my invention is to provide a strong, cheap and efficient shipping case, which may be quickly and easily expanded for use or collapsed to compact condition.

The novel features of my invention are hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate one form of my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective View, partly broken away, of the case in its expanded form. Fig.2 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of the case in the collapsed form. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the case in the expanded condition, the fillers being removed. Fig. 4 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 3, the case being shown collapsed. Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line a b of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a cross section on the line 0d of Fig. 4.

Similar reference characters designate similar parts. 4

The body of. the case is provided with a stationary back portion 1, two stationary end portions 2 and 3, and a stationary bottom portion 3, all of said portions, preferably, being composed of a single piece of sheet metal. Hinged respectively at their rear edges tothe forward edges of the portions 2 and 3 by hinges 2 and 5'. are twoend members 4 and 5. A front comprising, preferably, two members 6 and 7 V is vertically disposed forward of the back portion 1. The members 6 and 7 are hinged to each other by a hinge 6 having a vertical axis and are respectively hinged to the forward edges of the end members 4 and 5 by hinges 4 and 7 A bottom member 8 is hinged at its rear edge by a hinge 8 to the forward edge of the bottom portion 3 and is movable from the horizontal position shown in Fig. 5 to the vertical position shown in Fig. 6.

As shown in Fig. 5, the member 6 may be provided at its lower edge with an inwardly extending horizontal flange 9 which is adapted to support the free edge of the bottom member 8 when said bottom member is horizontally disposed, as in Fig. 3.

A vertical partition member 10 is preferably hinged on a vertical axis by a hinge 9 to the inner side of the back portion 1. The free forward edge of the partition member 10 is preferably provided with a lateral flange 10 which, as shown in Fig. 3, is

adapted to engage with a vertical flange 11 secured to the inner side of the member 6, for the purpose of releasably locking the partition member 10 to the front member 6. When the case is collapsed, the partition member is disposed parallel with the back portion 1, as shown in Fig. 4.

A cover comprising two members12 and 13, which are hinged to each other on an axis parallel with the back portion 1, is hinged at the rear edge of the member 12 to the upper edge of the back portion 1.

Pivoted to the member'13 is a hasp 14 adapted to releasably engage either of two staples 15 and 16 which are secured to the forward sideof the front member 6. When the case is expanded as shown in Fig. 1, the hasp 14 engages the staple 15, and when the case is collapsed, as shown in Fig. 2, the hasp 14 engages the staple 16.

The members 4, 5 and 7 are of substantially the same width, and the combined length of-the members 6 and 7 is substantially the same as the length of the back portion 1. j The width of the portion 2 is the same as that of portion 3. The combined width of the bottom portion 3 and the bottom member 8 is substantially the same as the combined width of the portion 2 and the member 4. By reason of these dimensions and of this construction, the hinged members may be disposed so as to form the large box, shown in Figs. 1' and 3, or they may be disposed so as to form the smaller box shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

The cover members 12 and 13 are preferably provided with downwardly extending flanges 17 for embracing the outer sides of the body. The width of the member 12 is such that when the case is collapsed, it will cover the open end of the case, while the member 13 will be vertically disposed at the front of the case, as shown in Fig. 2.

Fillers 18 may be placed in the case, in the usual manner and at opposite sides of the partition member 10, when the case is expanded as shown in Fig. 1.

To collapse the case, the fillers 18 are removed, and the cover swung to the open position. The partition member 10 is then swung to the position shown in Fig. 4, after which the bottom member 8 is swung to the vertical position, best shown in Fig. 6. The members 4. and 6 are then swung to the positions shown in Fig. 4, and the members 5 and 7 after being doubled together, are swung to the position shown in Fig. 4. The parts are now disposed so as to form the small box, or in other words, the case is collapsed. The fillers 18 are now collapsed and placed in the case, after which the cover is closed, the member 13 being swung to the vertical position shown in Fig. 6. The hasp 14 is now engaged with the staple 16, and the case will then be in condition for reshipment.

I do not limit my invention to the structure shown and described, as many modifications, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A collapsible shipping case having a body provided With stationary back, end and bottom portions, two swinging end members hinged respectively to the stationary end portions, a front comprising two members hinged to each other and hinged respectively to the forward edges of the swinging end members, and a bottom member hinged to the forward edge of the stationary bottom portion, the said front, bottom and end members being movable to two positions for re spectively forming two rectangular boxes of different capacities.

2. A collapsible shipping case having a body provided with stationary back, end and bottom portions, two swinging end members hinged respectively to the stationary end portions, a front comprising two members hinged to each other and hinged respectively to the forward edges of the swinging end members, and a bottom member hinged to the forward edge of the stationary bottom portion, the swinging end members being each of substantially the same width as one of the front members, the combined length of the front members being the same as the length of the stationary back portion, the bottom member being movable from a hori zontal to a vertical position, one of the other members having means for supporting the bottom member in the horizontal position, the front and end members being movable, when the bottom member is vertically disposed, to a position in which they will with the back, end and bottom portions form a rectangular boX, the front, end and bottom members being movable to another position in which they will form with the back, end and bottom portions a rectangular boX of greater width than the first named box.

3. A collapsible shipping case having a body provided with stationary back, end and bottom portions, two members hinged respectively to the end portions, a bottom member hinged to the bottom portion and movable from a vertical to a horizontal position, a front comprising two members hinged to each other and hinged respectively to the end members, and a vertical partition member movable from a position in which it extends from the back portion to the front to a position parallel with the back portion.

4. A collapsible shipping case having a body provided with stationary back, end and bottom portions, two members hinged respectively to the end portions, a bottom member hinged to the bottom portion and movable from a vertical to a horizontal position, a front comprising two members hinged to each other and respectively hinged to the end members, and a cover comprising two members hinged to each other, one of the cover members being hinged to the back portion.

5. A collapsible shipping case having a body provided with stationary back, end and bottom portions, two members hinged respectively to the end portions, a bottom member hinged to the bottom portion, a front comprising two members hinged to each other and respectively hinged to the end members, a partition hinged to the back portion and adapted to extend to the front, and a cover comprising two members hinged to each other, one of the cover members being hinged to the back portion.

6. A collapsible shipping case having a body provided with stationary back, end and bottom portions, two members hinged respectively to the end portions, a bottom member hinged to the bottom portion, a front comprising two members hinged to each other and hinged respectively to the end members, one of the front members having means for supporting the bottom member in a horizontal position, and a partition member hinged to the back portion and having means for releasably engaging the front.

7 A collapsible shipping case having a body provided with stationary back, end and bottom portions, two members hinged respectively to the end portions, a bottom member hinged to the bottom portion, a front comprising two members hinged to each other and respectively hinged to the for releasably engaging said vertical flange 10 end members, one of the front members havon the front member.

ing a horizontal flange for supporting the In testimony whereof I have signed my bottom member, one of the front members name to this specification in presence of having a vertical flange, and a vertical partwo subscribing witnesses.

tition member hinged to the back portion WILLIAM R. BAILEY. and movable to and from a position in which Witnesses:

it extends from the back portion to the front E. B. HOUSE,

and having at its free edge a vertical flange FIDRENCE M. VENDIG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

